During winter or summer, you may find your dog sneezing. This makes you wonder if dogs can get cold? Yes, they do get colds after the temperature drops or due to seasonal allergies caused by pollens in air. There are many other factors that lead to dog cold. However, they do not catch a cold due to the same virus or bacteria causing cold in humans. Yet, the symptoms are very similar to symptoms of cold in humans. The following paragraphs on symptoms and causes of dog cold contain a comprehensive view related to this respiratory condition.
Do Dogs Get Colds?
If you still are wondering whether dogs get colds, then the answer is 'yes'. The causes of colds in dogs include a variety of viruses that lead to different symptoms. Let us have a look at each one of these infectious agents and the pathophysiology related to each condition.
Adenovirus Type 2
Adenovirus type 2 is the main cause of canine cold. It causes many typical symptoms in dogs and may lead to canine kennel cough.
Canine Influenza Virus
Canine influenza virus causes an infection that leads to persistent cough for up to 3 weeks. It also leads to discharge from the nose and the animal suffers from a low-grade fever. In some cases, the dog may develop high fever with an increase in breathing rate.
Distemper
This viral disease causes not only signs of respiratory infections, but also gastrointestinal infection symptoms. It is a serious viral disease with a high fatality rate. Thus, make sure you vaccinate your dog against distemper early on.
Kennel Cough
One of the common causes of colds in dogs is kennel cough. This disease occurs in dogs who live in kennels and other confined areas. The disease causes raspy cough with phlegm. It can be caused by Adenovirus or Coronavirus, however, Bordetella bronchiseptica, bacteria, is the most common cause of this infection.
Parainfluenza Virus
Parainfluenza virus causes a highly contagious respiratory infection in dogs. The symptoms of this condition include chronic sneezing and coughing.
Symptoms of Dog Colds
The symptoms of dog cold indicate the presence of a respiratory infection. These symptoms indicate that one needs to seek treatment for their dog. Some of the common symptoms of cold in dogs are as follows:
- Runny nose
- Continuous sneezing
- Chronic cough
- Hacking cough with phlegm
- Nasal discharge that may be yellowish-green in color
- Loss of appetite
- Watery eyes
- Lethargy
- Sleepiness
- Breathing difficulty
- Fever
The symptoms of dog cold are generally self-limiting like humans. However, when the symptoms do not go away and cause fever, one may have to seek medical help. You should take your dog to a veterinarian and get the dog evaluated. If the doctor feels that the condition is self-limiting, you will need to provide your dog with home care. Keep the dog insulated by providing him a warm blanket and bed to sleep on. The dog may suffer from loss of appetite, but you need to feed the dog with some brown rice and boiled chicken for energy. You can even feed him some chicken broth for extra nutrition. A vaporizer kept near the dog while he sleeps will help clear his nasal passages thus, making it easy for him to breathe. Give the dog plenty of clean and fresh water to drink. This will keep the dog hydrated. The doctor may prescribe dog cold medicines like antibiotics, etc. in case of bacterial infections. He may also give the dog some multivitamin tablets containing vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin E.
When you spot the symptoms, keep your pet dry and warm. Do not allow him to venture out a lot and give him plenty of rest. Puppies and older dogs need veterinarian care as their immune system is weaker than those in the prime of their lives. Hope, the above information on symptoms of canine cold prove to be a useful read for you.
0 comments:
Post a Comment